7 Things You Didn’t Know About Oregon

Did you know? Oregon has more covered bridges than any other state west of the Mississippi River. (Pictured: Office Bridge)Did you know? You can mine for the state's official gem at the Spectrum Sunstone Mine.Did you know? At 75 and counting, Portland has more craft breweries than any other city in the world. (Pictured: Hopworks BikeBar)Did you know? Newberry Crater, the largest volcano in Oregon, is surrounded by hundreds of cinder cones, lava tube caves, lakes and waterfalls.

Have you heard of our obsession with artisan doughnuts? Or our love of beer, wine, coffee and spirits? And it pairs so well with the great outdoors: all-year round you’ll find us camping, hiking, biking and paddling through rivers, forests, mountains and coastline. Even when we come inside to rest, we’re soaking up an eclectic array of art, music and natural history. With all that creative inspiration, it’s no surprise that we Oregonians are a bit quirky too.

The annual Travel Oregon Visitor Guide — a detailed, art-forward magazine you’ll want to keep on your coffee table forever — is chock full of surprising tidbits about our lovely state, as well as inspiring trip ideas and maps to all of Oregon’s seven regions.

In addition to the nuts-and-bolts information you need to plan your trip, the guide is also a treasure trove of local lore. Here are a few of the little-known facts you’ll learn from the guide:

1.

Oregon lays claim to more covered bridges than any other state west of the Mississippi River — 50 in all, with 20 of them in Lane County alone. Photographers can’t help but fall in love with their rural charm, but getting the perfect shot is all about lighting — and sometimes it makes more sense to shoot from the inside looking out. (p. 14)

2.

Rock hounds, take note: You can mine for the state’s official gem at the Spectrum Sunstone Mine in the tiny Eastern Oregon town of Plush. (p. 126)

3.

At 75 and counting, Portland has more craft breweries than any other city in the world (and Oregon has the second-most breweries per capita). Beer enthusiasts can experience it by brew cycle, brewery tours, festivals and other sudsy events statewide. (p. 30)

4.

Some of the world’s top alpine athletes will train in summer 2017 at Timberline Lodge & Ski Area for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Skiers here get 3,690 vertical feet and the longest ski season in North America. (p. 24)

5.

You can see a concert on the lawn and drink a pint at the site of a 19th century poor farm — now the McMenamins Edgefield hotel and spa in Troutdale. (p. 94)

6.

Did you know there are snowmelt waterfalls you can see by boat at Crater Lake National Park? (p. 11)

7.

In just a few hours in Central Oregon you can explore the largest volcano in Oregon — Newberry Crater — as well as hundreds of surrounding cinder cones, lava tube caves, lakes and waterfalls. (pg. 136)

About The

Author

Jen Anderson writes and edits Travel Oregon's e-newsletters and other online content. She loves finding the latest places to eat, drink and play around the state with her husband and two young boys. Brewpubs, beaches and bike trails top the list.